NewsHour Extra: Kickboxing

Ready to Rumble
(June 29, 2000)

Katie Filardo may weigh only 120 pounds, but you'd better watch out for her side-kick. Her left hook is pretty mean, too.

Katie, 15, is a sophomore at Wilson High School in Washington, D.C. She trains religiously three times a week at the Powertech kickboxing studio.

"I don't think I'm lethal or anything," says Katie, "but I do feel confident enough to deliver a kick or punch that might buy me a second or two to escape from an assailant."

Katie's a young woman with a carefully cultivated attitude.

She's a student of "a kick-butt, sweat-pouring, bag-slamming, power- punching workout." That's John Graden's description-- he's the publisher of Martial Arts Professional magazine.

And Katie is not alone. Kickboxing is the latest fitness craze sweeping the country.

Kicking to Music

Fitness kickboxing is a blend of aerobic exercises, martial arts, and self-defense. It's also known as Tae Bo, cardio kickboxing, and CardioKarate.

There are basically two styles of fitness kickboxing classes.

The first is taught in health and fitness clubs and is similar to an aerobics class; everyone follows in time with the instructor.

There's no physical contact in this class-- all kicks and punches are in the air. The routines are performed to the heavy beat of thumping techno or funk music.

These classes are taught by aerobics instructors with some training in martial arts kicking and boxing routines.

Technique and Application

Other clubs are more serious, and more to Katie's taste.

"I think it's important to find a school where they demonstrate technique and where you get individual attention," she says. "I don't need an aerobics-style class with 40 people."

Classes at these clubs involve contact training with mitts--thick pads for kicking or punching--and heavy boxing bags. Handwraps--to protect wrists and knuckles--and boxing gloves are a must here.

Many of these classes are held in martial arts studios, often called dojos. These classes are usually taught by black belt professionals.

However, the atmosphere is casual; students wear shorts and T-shirts. No uniforms, colored belts, or tests to deal with here. CardioKarate is often taught in theses clubs by NAPMA (National Association of Professional Martial Artists) certified instructors.

Girls Kick Butt

Women have taken to kickboxing in a big way.

More than 80 percent of kickboxing students are women. No one knows for sure why it's so popular with females, but all agree on a few points.

"It's not only great physical and mental training," says Katie, "but it's great fun, too."

"I get to practice my kicking and punching techniques while burning major calories."

"Kicking really works the thigh, butt, and lower stomach areas which are key areas of fitness for women," says John.

And, since women are more flexible in the hips, they quickly surpass men in mastering various kicking techniques. They feel confident and empowered.

The fact that you can burn up to 800 calories in an one-hour kickboxing workout also makes this exercise very attractive.

Unlike many sports or traditional martial arts, kickboxing has a short learning curve. Most people can keep up with the techniques after two or three classes. In no time at all you feel like a kickboxer.

Getting Serious

Many people who start kickboxing interested only in fitness later find themselves getting serious.

Once they master basic kicking and punching, they feel confident enough to take it a step further. That's exactly what happened to Katie.

"I may take up Tae Kwon-Do next year, just to move it up to another level," she says. "I think after kickboxing, I will have the confidence to do that. I want to learn more about self-defense not just for my own confidence, but for the physical discipline, too."

"I would never have dreamed of doing Tae Kwon-Do before taking up kickboxing," said Michelle Artz, a young woman in her early 20s who lives in Washington, DC

"I just never thought it was me. Before this, I'd never played anything more adventurous than tennis. Now I'm a TaeKwon-Do blue belt, just 18 months away from a black belt."

If you decide to get serious and take up a traditional martial art you need to choose a particular form and then find an appropriate school.

Choosing the right form may not be as easy as you think. The choices can be bewildering. Many students interested in hard core street defense have joined Krav Maga, a system designed by Mosad, the Israeli Defense Forces.

Others looking for something with a spiritual dimension have followed Capoeira, an African-Brazilian stylized form of combat that originated from a fighting dance. It has elements of ritual including music and chant, and draws in philosophy and history, too.

Choosing a School

With so many health clubs, gyms, spas, and dojos offering classes, how do you choose a school?

You should first look for a school that has certified kickboxing instructors. Many of the instructors in gyms and health clubs are "aerobics instructors" who have studied some martial arts techniques, but do not have any formal kickboxing or martial arts training.

While the health clubs and gyms tend not to use equipment like mitts and heavy bags, you can still injure yourself.

"Even just kicking and punching in mid air, you can damage knee, hip, and shoulder joints," John says.

It's important to observe a full class at a school before signing up. Check to see that the instructor begins with a good warm-up and ends with cool down exercises.

"Watch the pace of the class," says Pat Mallon, Tae Kwon-Do Master at Powertech Studio in Washington DC. "A good instructor takes a class to the edge, but not over the edge."

"Absorbent flooring is a safety factor to watch out for. You don't want to take a tumble on a hard wood floor."

Most dojos have absorbent foam flooring.

Cross Train

If you want to get fit fast and have fun doing it, one of the fastest routes is through any of the various styles of kickboxing.

The stress and tension release of punching and kicking bags can be very therapeutic, but remember the advantages of cross training, too. Mix in some hiking or biking with the bag slamming.

Most of all, experts say, relax and enjoy the exercise.

For Katie, that's not a problem.

"It doesn't feel like a chore, like something that I have to do," she says. "I look forward to my classes."

--contributed by Dominick Egan